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Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin indicted
Probe into City Hall corruption has already netted guilty pleas by two former city officials and two businessmen.
NEW ORLEANS – Ray Nagin, former New Orleans mayor and the public face of the battered city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, has been indicted by a grand jury on 21 federal corruption charges.
The indictment, released Friday, alleges Nagin awarded lucrative city contracts to
contractors in exchange for more than $200,000 in kickbacks and first-class trips to Hawaii, Jamaica and Las Vegas.
Nagin, 56, served two four-year terms as mayor, from 2002 to 2010, and currently lives in Frisco, Tex., outside Dallas. If convicted on all charges, he faces more than 15 years in prison. Nagin becomes the first mayor in the city's 295-year history to be indicted under federal corruption charges.
Nagin could not be reached at phone numbers listed at his Frisco address. He's due in federal court Jan. 31 to be arraigned by a federal magistrate.
"This is a sad day for the city of New Orleans," current Mayor Mitch Landrieu said in a statement. "Today's indictment of former Mayor Ray Nagin alleges serious violations of the public's trust. Public corruption cannot and will not be tolerated."
The charges stem from a City Hall corruption investigation that already has resulted in guilty pleas by two former city officials and two businessmen.
The indictment alleges that, between 2005 and 2008, Nagin:
- Accepted more than $70,000 in bribes from a consultant who later won more than a dozen public works contracts with the city.
- Received paid lodging and vacation expenses for himself and his family in Hawaii and was flown first-class to Jamaica by a city contractor.
- Accepted a free private jet trip to Chicago and Las Vegas from another contractor.
- Enriched his New Orleans-based family granite supply company through dealings with the city.
"This indictment should serve as a reminder to current and former public officials that … the FBI pursues corruption even after an official leaves office," said Michael Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's New Orleans Field Office.
New Orleanians will be most angered by the fact that Nagin's alleged corrupt activities were taking place as the city struggled to rebuild from the worst catastrophe in city history, said Terrence Fitzmorris, a Tulane University history professor.
"It's a betrayal," Fitzmorris said. "He's doing this while the city was at its lowest point."
A former cable television executive, Nagin was swept into office in 2002 with promises of transforming the city through business savvy and corruption fighting.
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 thrust him into the national spotlight, where he often lambasted federal agencies for not doing enough in the storm's aftermath but was also criticized for a perception of not doing enough as a leader in time of crisis.
In January 2006, he apologized for a Martin Luther King Day speech in which he predicted New Orleans would be a "chocolate city" and asserted that "God was mad at America."
Strong support from black voters helped Nagin win re-election in 2006 despite mounting criticism of his post-Katrina leadership. But the glacial pace of rebuilding, a surge in violent crime and the budding City Hall corruption investigation chipped away at Nagin's popularity during his second term.
Nagin could not seek a third consecutive term because of term limits. Mitch Landrieu, who ran against Nagin in 2006, succeeded him in 2010.
Contributing: Associated Press and nola.com
NEW ORLEANS – Ray Nagin, former New Orleans mayor and the public face of the battered city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, has been indicted by a grand jury on 21 federal corruption charges.
The indictment, released Friday, alleges Nagin awarded lucrative city contracts to
contractors in exchange for more than $200,000 in kickbacks and first-class trips to Hawaii, Jamaica and Las Vegas.
Nagin, 56, served two four-year terms as mayor, from 2002 to 2010, and currently lives in Frisco, Tex., outside Dallas. If convicted on all charges, he faces more than 15 years in prison. Nagin becomes the first mayor in the city's 295-year history to be indicted under federal corruption charges.
Nagin could not be reached at phone numbers listed at his Frisco address. He's due in federal court Jan. 31 to be arraigned by a federal magistrate.
"This is a sad day for the city of New Orleans," current Mayor Mitch Landrieu said in a statement. "Today's indictment of former Mayor Ray Nagin alleges serious violations of the public's trust. Public corruption cannot and will not be tolerated."
The charges stem from a City Hall corruption investigation that already has resulted in guilty pleas by two former city officials and two businessmen.
The indictment alleges that, between 2005 and 2008, Nagin:
- Accepted more than $70,000 in bribes from a consultant who later won more than a dozen public works contracts with the city.
- Received paid lodging and vacation expenses for himself and his family in Hawaii and was flown first-class to Jamaica by a city contractor.
- Accepted a free private jet trip to Chicago and Las Vegas from another contractor.
- Enriched his New Orleans-based family granite supply company through dealings with the city.
"This indictment should serve as a reminder to current and former public officials that … the FBI pursues corruption even after an official leaves office," said Michael Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's New Orleans Field Office.
New Orleanians will be most angered by the fact that Nagin's alleged corrupt activities were taking place as the city struggled to rebuild from the worst catastrophe in city history, said Terrence Fitzmorris, a Tulane University history professor.
"It's a betrayal," Fitzmorris said. "He's doing this while the city was at its lowest point."
A former cable television executive, Nagin was swept into office in 2002 with promises of transforming the city through business savvy and corruption fighting.
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 thrust him into the national spotlight, where he often lambasted federal agencies for not doing enough in the storm's aftermath but was also criticized for a perception of not doing enough as a leader in time of crisis.
In January 2006, he apologized for a Martin Luther King Day speech in which he predicted New Orleans would be a "chocolate city" and asserted that "God was mad at America."
Strong support from black voters helped Nagin win re-election in 2006 despite mounting criticism of his post-Katrina leadership. But the glacial pace of rebuilding, a surge in violent crime and the budding City Hall corruption investigation chipped away at Nagin's popularity during his second term.
Nagin could not seek a third consecutive term because of term limits. Mitch Landrieu, who ran against Nagin in 2006, succeeded him in 2010.
Contributing: Associated Press and nola.com
Yeah.... Unbelievable statement that simply would not be tolerated if a white man said something similar. I don't get it..... Good ol' Nagin makes it sound like only "chocolate" folks were displaced or affected by Katrina.
Wonderful statement.... Ray should spend time traveling the country with Rev.s Jackson and Sharpton.
Wonderful statement.... Ray should spend time traveling the country with Rev.s Jackson and Sharpton.
I think it is time to move on....
This is his Chocolate City Comment
Could you imagine the outcry if a White Mayer would have made a comment like this? The Hypocrisy of Political Correctness makes me Nauseas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeM7BmBwbpQ
Could you imagine the outcry if a White Mayer would have made a comment like this? The Hypocrisy of Political Correctness makes me Nauseas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeM7BmBwbpQ
You're welcome for that....
Seems to me he was more interested in making a buck than doing what was right. Imagine...another crooked politician?? Hard to believe!
------------------------------------------
Agreed and no matter the color, these guys are a dime a dozen.
*********! LOL
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Agreed and no matter the color, these guys are a dime a dozen.
*********! LOL
Yeah, but I see this whole debacle kind of being a racial thing. I've heard a lot of people say that Ray put on a front to the people of NOLA, that he was just "one of them", but meanwhile definitely had his own agenda when it came to the safety and security of the people. Seems to me he was more interested in making a buck than doing what was right. Imagine...another crooked politician?? Hard to believe!
What a scumbag...hope he gets his. *******!
What a scumbag...hope he gets his. *******!
Ray wanted "his people" to go out in style...Greyhound buses not school buses.
Sorry, misunderstood what your response was to el. Apparently the Mayor said that?
It's like saying spaghetti bender or green clover city in a predominatelt Itaian or Irish town or neighborhood.
I don't defend the guy, but better not to get into the racial aspect...it has to more with his corrupt and evil ways.
It's like saying spaghetti bender or green clover city in a predominatelt Itaian or Irish town or neighborhood.
I don't defend the guy, but better not to get into the racial aspect...it has to more with his corrupt and evil ways.
Thanks for that.
Yeah, what was the deal with that "Chocolate City" remark? Might as well have said "No Crackers Allowed", just to clear the air on the comment.
Mr. Ray "Chocolate City" Nagin is finally called to the carpet...
He's the one that initially told the Bush administration to "stay out of city business" prior to Katrina, then subsequently railed them for their non-reaction, post Katrina, when he'd screwed-the-pooch on getting "his people" evacuated.
Idiot.
Hope he fry's (or at least spends a lot of time in Angola) for this.
He's the one that initially told the Bush administration to "stay out of city business" prior to Katrina, then subsequently railed them for their non-reaction, post Katrina, when he'd screwed-the-pooch on getting "his people" evacuated.
Idiot.
Hope he fry's (or at least spends a lot of time in Angola) for this.
Thanks for that link.... Yeah, Nagin screwed the pooch on that one, big time. Funny how Bush got so much flack.
They even found about 60 busses after Katrina that was not flooded that could have been used to evacuate The Super Dome to Baton Rouge. He failed to do that also. This caused many more Deaths.
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2005/10/04/never-flooded-n.php
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2005/10/04/never-flooded-n.php
More truth about Katrina comes out. I don't remember hearing about that. Thanks for that info.
Don’t get me started on the Piece of Krap. He should be brought to trial for the Mass Deaths he and Gov. Blanco are responsible for. They fled New Orleans leaving over 700 busses that could have been used to evacuate people. That’s right, over 700 busses that went under water could have been used. Instead he abandoned his people and tried to Blame Bush.
I have little to no respect for Blanco (she’ll go down in History as one of our worst Governors) but after awhile she at least came forward and acknowledged it was her fault not the Bush Administration for the Governments delayed response.
She chose not to run for re-election but Nagin did (illegally) and won. Unbelievable.
I have little to no respect for Blanco (she’ll go down in History as one of our worst Governors) but after awhile she at least came forward and acknowledged it was her fault not the Bush Administration for the Governments delayed response.
She chose not to run for re-election but Nagin did (illegally) and won. Unbelievable.
Yeah, I saw this this morning. I know a few folks in NO that really liked the guy. (I know some that didn't like him too.)
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